[KH Explains] China ups OLED ante to take over Korean shares

China’s recent move to ramp up investment in organic light-emitting display panels is stoking fears among Korean display makers that they may face another fierce price war with their Chinese runner-ups, even over the most sophisticated display technology. Last week, China's top display panel maker, BOE Technology, announced a plan to invest 63 billion yuan ($8.84 billion) to build a production facility with 8.6-generation technology for OLED panels for laptops and tablet PCs. The amou

IndustryDec. 5, 2023

Lotte renews online grocery sales race with new mega facility

Lotte Shopping, the retail arm of Lotte Group, said Tuesday it is set to start the construction of a new logistics center in Busan in partnership with UK retail tech firm Ocado. Lotte held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility, called the Customer Fulfillment Center, which will be located on a 42,000 square-meter site within an industrial complex. As part of a partnership with Ocado signed in November last year, Lotte plans to adopt the UK firm’s artificial intelligence-based new

CompaniesDec. 5, 2023

Tire tycoon's family feud rekindled

A sibling feud over the management of Hankook & Co., the holding company behind the world’s sixth-largest tiremaker, Hankook Tire & Technology, has been reignited, as the older of the two brothers has joined hands with a major private equity house to shore up his stake. Asia's largest private equity firm MBK Partners announced through a regulatory filing Tuesday that it has launched a public tender for Hankook & Co., offering 20,000 won ($15.23) per share under a goal to

CompaniesDec. 5, 2023

Korean defense firms head to Egypt defense expo to expand market presence

South Korean defense firms are looking to expand their market presence in Africa and the Middle East as they showcase their latest cutting-edge weapons systems at the Egypt Defense Expo 2023 taking place at the country’s international exhibition center in Cairo this week. According to Korea Aerospace Industries and LIG Nex1 on Tuesday, the two companies participated in the EDEX for the first time this year. Korea Aerospace Industries, also known as the KAI, said it will concentrate on in

IndustryDec. 5, 2023

[Photo News] Winter seaweed harvests

Farmers harvest gim, or dried seaweed, using a unique technique which involves repeating a drying and wetting process in the open sea, in waters near the fishing village of Taean, South Chungcheong Province, Tuesday. Gim is one of South Korea's top export items which has seen growing popularity overseas. Korean gim accounts for almost 70 percent of the global seaweed market. (Yonhap)

IndustryDec. 5, 2023

Korea Herald, Indonesia's Kompas vow to deepen media ties

JAKARTA, Indonesia – The Korea Herald and Indonesia's Kompas Daily have pledged to strengthen media cooperation, solidifying their commitment during the Korea-Indonesia Cooperation Forum in Jakarta on Thursday. Established in 1965, the Jakarta-based Kompas Daily enjoys a distinguished reputation in Indonesia's media landscape. The forum itself was a collaborative effort between Herald Corp., publisher of The Korea Herald and Herald Business, and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce

IndustryDec. 5, 2023

Hyundai, Kia named top exporters of the year

South Korean carmaker Hyundai and its sibling firm Kia have topped the list of exporters in Korea, posting a record-high of $54.5 billion in total export volume, Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday. Among 1,700 companies here, Hyundai and Kia ranked first and second place, respectively, the highest record since 2012 when the two recorded $350 billion in exports. From July 2022 to June this year, Hyundai’s exports surged on-year 29.6 percent to $31 billion, while Kia saw a 30.7 percent jump to

MobilityDec. 5, 2023

KB unveils video to mark World Soil Day

KB Financial Group on Tuesday unveiled a video titled “Safeguarding Soil, A Source Of Life,” to celebrate World Soil Day, held annually on Dec. 5 to advocate for the sustainable soil management practices. The video first underscores the importance of healthy soil as an essential resource for sustaining life on Earth. It then discusses plastic, the leading cause of soil and water pollution. According to the video, plastic waste can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil,

IndustryDec. 5, 2023

[Photo News] Up in the chair

Hyundai Motor Group said Tuesday that it donated 30 vehicles and 105 electric wheelchairs and electric scooters to encourage mobility for people with disabilities. The South Korean automaker has carried out the corporate social responsibility activity since 2011. According to the firm, the accumulated amount of donations has reached 7.9 billion won ($6 million) so far. The donations have been delivered to various associations and federations that support disabled people across the country. (Hyun

MobilityDec. 5, 2023

Daewoo E&C seeks to join Indonesia's capital relocation

Daewoo Engineering & Construction Chairman Jung Won-ju has recently engaged with industry leaders and officials in Indonesia to broaden the scope of the company's global construction projects, focusing on the extensive development of the Southeast Asian country's new capital that is expected to be inaugurated as early as August next year. Indonesia is actively preparing to relocate its capital from Jakarta to Nusantara, a purpose-built city in the East Kalimantan area. The planned

IndustryDec. 5, 2023

[Photo News] Hana donates to charity

From left: Hana Financial Group Vice Chairman Lee Eun-hyung, Chairman Ham Young-joo and Community Chest of Korea Chairman Kim Byong-joon pose for a photo after the financial group donated 15 billion won ($11.43 million) to the charity's headquarters in central Seoul, Tuesday. Hana's 15 affiliates all contributed to the donation for the underprivileged. The group also received a donation certificate for donating a total of over 90 billion won this year. (Hana Financial Group)

IndustryDec. 5, 2023

S. Korea's economy grows 0.6% in Q3, unchanged from earlier estimate

South Korea's economy grew 0.6 percent in the third quarter of the year, matching an earlier estimate, on the back of reviving exports and domestic demand, central bank data showed Tuesday. The country's real gross domestic product -- a key measure of economic growth -- increased 0.6 percent on-quarter in the July-September period, according to data from the Bank of Korea (BOK). The third-quarter expansion compares with the 0.6 percent on-quarter expansion in the second quarter and the

EconomyDec. 5, 2023

Seoul shares open lower on US losses

Seoul shares got off to a weak start Tuesday, tracking overnight losses on Wall Street. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index retreated 17.21 points, or 0.68 percent, to 2,497.74 in the first 15 minutes of trading. On Monday, all three major US indexes lost ground ahead of the release of key job market data later this week, including an October update on job openings. The S&P 500 gave back 0.54 percent after hitting its highest level in over a year the previous session. The Dow Jon

MarketDec. 5, 2023

S. Korea's inflation slows in Nov., stays over 3% for 4th month

South Korea's inflation grew at a slower pace last month, though it stayed above 3 percent for the fourth consecutive month amid high prices of energy and farm goods, data showed Tuesday. Consumer prices, a key gauge of inflation, rose 3.3 percent in November from a year earlier, compared with a 3.8 percent on-year increase the previous month, according to the data from Statistics Korea. It is the first time in four months that the annual price growth has eased. The on-year price growth fell bel

EconomyDec. 5, 2023

Yoon’s chief economist tapped as finance minister

Choi Sang-mok, the former senior presidential secretary for economic affairs, has been nominated as the new finance minister who doubles as the deputy prime minister, according to the presidential office on Monday. Born in 1963 in Seoul, Choi studied law at Seoul National University and earned a doctorate in economics at Cornell University. He passed the civil service examination in 1985. He is known as an "orthodox economic bureaucrat" who has a strong understanding of economic poli

EconomyDec. 4, 2023

Ex-LH CEO nominated as land minister

Park Sang-woo, the former CEO of the Land and Housing Corporation (LH), has been nominated as the new minister of land, infrastructure and transport, according to the presidential office on Monday. Having joined the ministry in 1983, Park boasts expertise in land and transport policy for decades. He is known to have played a role in shaping housing policies during the Lee Myung-bak and Park Geun-hye administrations. He also served as the head of the state-run housing agency between 2016 and 2019

EconomyDec. 4, 2023

Hanwha sets W1.4tr goal in battery equipment sales by 2027

Hanwha Momentum, a supplier of manufacturing facilities and equipment for batteries, solar panels and displays, hosted its 2023 Hanwha Battery Day on Monday to reveal the company's strategies and technological road map in response to burgeoning global demand for secondary battery manufacturing equipment. During the event, CEO Yang Ki-won unveiled an ambitious target of 1.4 trillion won ($1.07 billion) in sales solely from secondary battery process equipment solutions by 2027. The company&

MobilityDec. 4, 2023

AmCham seminar explores health care as bigger part of Korea-US alliance

Health care officials from South Korea and the US on Monday gathered in Seoul to discuss the industry’s potential to be a bigger part of the Seoul-Washington alliance during a forum hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. The Healthcare Innovation Seminar is one of the major events organized by AmCham, and the largest policy seminar on the health care industry in South Korea. This year's seminar is titled “The Role of the Healthcare Industry in Facing the Next Front

IndustryDec. 4, 2023

Seoul shares end higher on Fed's rate cut hopes

South Korean stocks ended higher Monday amid speculation that the US Federal Reserve may start cutting its rates next year amid eased inflation woes. The local currency rose against the US dollar. The benchmark Korea Composite Stock Price Index rose 9.94 points, or 0.4 percent, to close at 2,514.95. Trade volume was moderate at 489.9 million shares worth 8.5 trillion won ($6.5 billion), with gainers slightly outnumbering losers 458 to 411. Institutions and foreigners bought shares worth 170.7 bi

MarketDec. 4, 2023

Fractional art market opens up to lure new investors

Art Together, a subsidiary under major Korean art auctioneer K-Auction, announced Monday it has submitted its registration statement for fractional investments in Yayoi Kusama's 2002 artwork, “Pumpkin,” to the country’s top regulator, the Financial Supervisory Service. Art Together purchased the painting from renowned British auction house Christie’s for 1.09 billion won ($835,000) and has set the subscription price at 1.18 billion won, allowing retail investors to s

MarketDec. 4, 2023